Hetty's Walking Guide - Walkie 1 - A gentle stroll near Walberswick, Suffolk UK

As many of you pals know I does like to travel. I been lots of places in the United Kingdom but I has also been to foreign parts thanks to my doggy passport, France, Belgium and Holland. I specially like Holland as they has a lot of cheese (there be pictures in one of my older postings if you be interested).

I is also a very lucky doggy as I get to live very close to the seaside and also quite near to forests what I does like very much to go running in. Sometimes I has been asked where I does go for walkies, so I has decided to start documenting some walkies so as my fur pals can also have a route if they does come on hollibobs or lives nearby and wants some ideas of where to go.

All of my walkies has been given the official paws up from me and they will range from little walkies to big walkies so somefing for everyone. 

I has tried to note down what doggies and their hoomans might like and why to do it, if they be easy or not easy walkie and if there be noms nearby ( v impawtant).

Just remember though that sometime spaths does change so if you be doing my walkies checks that there is no signs telling youse not to and stay on a leady if there be wild anipals around. They do be fun to chase but I has been told that if we chase too many then we does run out of them and that be no fun for anyone.

Have fun and happy walking!

So here we go, this the first walkie...a little one.

Walkie 1 - A gentle stroll near Walberswick

Length 3km (approx)

Terrain, grass and boardwalk, some fallen trees and narrow paths

Noms

Lots of noms nearby but not on trail, Dunwich and Blythburgh both good for these. This area is also good for a picnic if the weather be good. There are nice delicatessens in Southwold and Halesworth where you can get your provisions.

Parking & Accessibility

Free parking, start at the car park. Its just off the B1125  (Dunwich Rd) which is a few minutes and about 2 miles off the A12 at Blythburgh in Suffolk. The car park is on the corner on the left soon after a water tower which be on your right if Blythburgh behind you. Tells me if you does need more directions.

The walk is flat but there do be trees down and mud along the route sometimes so not perfect for those doggy pals and hoomans who might find that a problem although maybe in summer you be ok, best check with me and I can take a look for you before.

Here is a map, there has been a bit of artistic license in the making of it but hopefully you gets the idea.

Why should I do this walk?

This is what I would say is a nice gentle stroll. It doesn’t be too long and is a good walk if your hooman has had a bit too much Sunday lunches and needs a stroll to walk it off. Even if the wever isn’t so good you will be ok as there be trees which keep off the rain, or if its hot keep you cool. You does really need to be on a lead though, there be lots of  berds nesting in the undergrowf and on the ground, apparently they are rare ones and although it might be fun to chases them if we chases too many there wont be none left and that will be no fun for anyone. There also be deer so if you is a bit partial to Venison then definitely stay on the leady. At the side of the boardwalk there be boggy bits, if you strays into those it be a one way ticket to bath night and none of us likes that! I know because I has been there and done that although it was almost worth it as v stinky….

Wild Life

There be lots of wild creatures here, its next to Dunwich forest which do have lots of creatures including Dartmoor Ponies. If you want to go on a longer walkie you can go into the forest by taking the right hand turn marked “the big forest” (well it do be marked that way on my map anyways).

Birds

Theres lots, I isn’t an expert by you might see some of these:

Dartford Warbler

Woodlark

Woodpecker

So now (finally) onto the walk…

Start at the free car park (directions at the beginning), walk away from the road and where you see a small plaque about The Sandlings there be three ways to go. For this walkkie you does want the middle track. Walk into the trees and after a bit you come onto a boardwalk raised up over the boggy bits. Follow the boardwalk along. You will go deeper into the trees and there be interesting fings for your hoomans to look at like dragonflys in the summer, wild honeysuckle an flowers in spring. There also be some hooge trees fallen over what plants now be living under and hoomans seem to like. It does be very very boggy though, more than Terrier deep boggy and quite stinky so does be careful not to stray off the path even if there be tempting animals and smells.

Here we are inspecting the boardwalk, note the stinky mud to the right ;-)

After a while you does find a little bridge, after the bridge the path does widen out and go under trees and there often be squirrels, one of my favourites, or maybe just my nemesis I hasn’t quite made up my mind. Carry on through the trees and you will come to the marshes. This little stroll do finish here and you needs to turn back the way you came but for those adventurous doggies can walk further through the reed bed if they likes.

Guarding the bridge

For those who is getting a bit tired then just turns back and retrace your paws back to the car park or for those with lots of energy you can go into the forest of the beach at Dunwich.

So thats all for walkies number 1, I be going out laters to map out a longer one for you around Southwold and will be reporting back in due course.

Hetty 

@Hetty_Bear on Twitter